Things that wiggle.

Even though I love silly hats and themed socks and going overboard for the holidays, I've never been overly in to animated decor. They always seem cheesy and/or creepy.

However, my boss has a knack for finding some brilliant ones. And more than being amused by the toy, it's so amazing to watch his presentation and reaction when he first brings it in to the office. He's like a 5 year-old showing you his new toy.

I love it.

I was hoping for silly hats...

Sooo...I might have received a ticket some time back and I might have opted for community service instead of paying the silly government.

I also, in true Pontius-fashion, waited until the very last minute to start putting in my hours. So I've been spending my evenings this week at the Santa Monica Moose Lodge.

There's minor cleaning to do, but never enough for the 5 hours each night I need to be there.

Tonight, there was a pot luck and after offering to help an elderly lady grab cookies out of her car, I ended up at the bar chatting with her all night. Her name is Brenda. She's been a member for 64 years, drinks VO and water (easy on the water) and has buried 2 husbands, 3 lovers, 1 son and 1 sister...and she warns, "Be careful around me, I seem to be the only one left in my little circle."

I learned so much about this woman and I couldn't get over how saucy she was for being 88 and hanging at the moose lodge. At some point she sashayed past the pool table teasing the 20-somethings about checking her out and even stopped to do a turn to give them a second look. She complained about bitter step children and gossiped about men in the bar.

I mostly listened.

And then we commiserated/puffed our feathers about being Scorpios and how the world needed to watch out.

Of course she talked about the "good old days" at the lodge and the crazy Friday nights she had there. And she did a fabulous job at trying to convince me to be a Woman of the Moose.

I could go on, but I won't.

The whole experience -- the smells, the oddly mismatched crowd, the fancy jewelry -- it was all my sunshine.

It's always the little things.

I pulled up to my favorite drive-thru coffee kiosk today and through the window I could see my boss in his car on the other side.

We laughed and waved and then I started shuffling through my bag for cash.

When I looked up, the barista handed me my coffee and said, "You're all set. That gentlemen over there paid for your coffee."

My boss had already pulled away and I smiled all the way to my office.

Flowers of the Sun Variety

I was taking Mark home the other day and drove up on some HUGE sunflowers. They immediately caught my eye and I thought..."Wow, those are awesome...and right here where it could use a little color."

As we drove slowly past and I was ogling them, I realized it was one of OUR Guerrilla Gardens..."Wait a minute...WE did that!"

(Extra special thanks to our friend who lives down the street and has been making sure they're not thirsty)

Washington Pl & Centinela

BEFORE (June 2009)


AFTER (Dec 2009)